Suggestions To Make My Own Snake?

[GregM91]

Hey all,

I am going to be making a custom 250' snake that uses (1) 6-stand fiber, (1) RG/59 Coax, and (2) Mic Cables.

What is the best way to bundle these together to create a snake that has a smooth surface to prevent "rope burn" (no wire loom/braiding) as well as make it easy to wrap onto a cable reel?

Thanks

 

[soundman]

How long will the snake be? ? A few wraps of tape seems to work pretty good, or if you have some time you could use heat shrink every few feet.

 

[Amiers]

You can buy it by the roll. If your looking to do the whole snake.

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-...k-tubing/100-roll-of-heatshrink-tubing/1.html

 

[GregM91]

How long will the snake be? ? A few wraps of tape seems to work pretty good, or if you have some time you could use heat shrink every few feet.

250'

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Braided wire loom - but amiers beat me to it.

http://m.cabletiesandmore.com/products-of-expandable-braided-cable-sleeving-mini-spool-582

 

[FMEng]

You'd never get more than a few inches shoved through shrink tubing. Plus, the stuff is too stiff once shrunk. I would use silicon fusing tape. Electrical tape would start peeling after a while. I would also put more than 1 strand of fiber in it, unless the coax is redundant for the fiber. Fiber isn't the most durable stuff.

 

[GregM91]

You'd never get more than a few inches shoved through shrink tubing. Plus, the stuff is too stiff once shrunk. I would use silicon fusing tape. Electrical tape would start peeling after a while. I would also put more than 1 strand of fiber in it, unless the coax is redundant for the fiber. Fiber isn't the most durable stuff.

I'll have to give the Silicon Tape a look. As for the fiber, we will be using a six strand fiber run and will be needing two strands, making the other 4 backups. Worst case, we have second snake run to pull out if the entire snake gets chopped.

 

[themuzicman]

3M Temflex Friction Tape is what every tour I have worked on uses to bundle their cables.

 

[brin831]

would also put more than 1 strand of fiber in it, unless the coax is redundant for the fiber. Fiber isn't the most durable stuff.

Tatical fiber is super strong and you could argue just as durable as a single coax ... is it as easy to terminate ... no but I'd put a second coax if you really need coax at all video to optical converters are easy to aquire.

Put some snake skin over the connections st is probably the best option ...

 

[Chris15]

video to optical converters are easy to aquire.

...assuming that the RG59 is to run video.
We shouldn't assume it isn't to run word clock for example...

 

[cbrandt]

I'll give a second to friction tape. Everything from my snakes to my PRT bundles (anything semi-permanently bundled) is done with friction tape.

 

[JD]

If you are building your own snake, don't forget the twist!!
I can't say this enough, but unless you rotate what is inside you will have two problems: 1) lack of flexibility 2) high stress on one or more components.
Figuring out the right twist it critical too. The twist takes up length as well so your components will need to be longer than your finished product.

 

[chausman]

If you are building your own snake, don't forget the twist!!
I can't say this enough, but unless you rotate what is inside you will have two problems: 1) lack of flexibility 2) high stress on one or more components.
Figuring out the right twist it critical too. The twist takes up length as well so your components will need to be longer than your finished product.

Do you have any guide or links on how to figure that out?

 

[TimmyP1955]

Tape it every so often to keep the elements aligned. Then slip an expandable sleeve over the bundle.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Don't forget to figure the cost of your labor. Custom and semi-custom snakes are not necessarily all that expensive, once you get up to... about the length you're talking about.